Shirt back pleat styles: Box, side, or none?

[billiebob]

I'm thinking of putting in a shirt order to Jantzen, but I haven't decided on back pleats. Perhaps someone can advise me.

I have big shoulder blades, and usually fully open up most back pleats. I think this looks awful, especially for a box pleat.

For example, my dress shirt staple the Brooks Brothers slim fit, has a box pleat which fully opens, popping out at the top where it meets the yoke of the shirt. It looks awful.

The side pleats of my Tyrwhitt slim fit shirt are also open, but don't look all that bad.

The best fitting dress shirt I have (FIT ONLY) is from H&M. This has no pleats at all in the back, and is tapered such that there are no wrinkles or folds whatsoever when I wear it.

What is the purpose of back pleats then. It seems they generally take up width in fabric only in the section between the bottom of the yoke and the middle of the back. They don't take up slack where I need it removed, in the waist.

What do you folks prefer, and why?

 

[cpac]

Sounds like you're not wearing properly sized shirts - the pleats shouldn't be open unless you're moving around reaching for things - that's why they're there, is to allow such movement.

If that means that buying the proper chest size in a shirt means you have LOTS too much fabric at the waist, you should have the shirts tailored, or (as you are aparently doing) order some custom made.

So once you've solved that issue, the pleating is just a matter of personal preference. Personally I like side pleats, or if the shirt fits well enough, none at all.

 

[Manton]

Some guys need side pleats. (No one needs or should want box pleats, in my opinion.) If you have a rounded back or "salient blades", side pleats will provide extra fullness that makes moving your arms more comfortable, without causing the back of the shirt to bind.

 

[bch]

Some guys need side pleats. (No one needs or should want box pleats, in my opinion.) If you have a rounded back or "salient blades", side pleats will provide extra fullness that makes moving your arms more comfortable, without causing the back of the shirt to bind.

I prefer and need side pleats. Otherwise I might rip my shirt when hugging my kids.

 

[Shirtmaven]

Side pleats would work best for you. I love shirring. But most men don't get it. That is the process of taking the same amount of fullness and feeding it in as little gathers. does that make Sense? Carl www.cego.com

 

[Kent Wang]

Quote:

(Manton @ June 09 2005,07:19) Some guys need side pleats. (No one needs or should want box pleats, in my opinion.) If you have a rounded back or "salient blades", side pleats will provide extra fullness that makes moving your arms more comfortable, without causing the back of the shirt to bind.
I prefer and need side pleats. Otherwise I might rip my shirt when hugging my kids.
I refuse pleats. But that's because I don't hug, I chest-bump.

 

[Kent Wang]

I love shirring. But most men don't get it.
That is the process of taking the same amount of fullness and feeding it in as little gathers. does that make Sense?

I had difficulty understanding what you meant but this Google definition cleared things up:

Shirring involves the puckering or gathering of material with stitches done in thread which has an elastic quality to it. This quality is achieved by having a cotton thread wound around a fine elastic core. It is best to use fine fabrics for shirring. The result is a material which can stretch and is self-adjusting. It is excruciating to do this technique by hand, and thus shirred fabrics are a rarity on Pern.

 

[Manton]

Roy H posted some pictures of some shirred shirts over on AA: http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/F...?TOPIC_ID=7078

 

[faustian bargain]

if that is the definition of shirring, then the technique involved with shirts should more properly be called simply 'gathering', because the material does not end up being elastic. it is sewn to the yoke and/or cuff, which certainly does not stretch.

it's a fancy look, in my opinion.

/andrew

 

[billiebob]

Now I think I get it.

It is true that a shirt which would fit my big back without opening the pleats (at rest) would be too large in every other dimension, particularly the shoulder width

I have also noticed that the H & M shirt which fits so well doesn't allow me the greatest freedom of movement.

I will give my first Jantzen shirt a try with side pleats, and communicate the prominance of my shoulder blades to get some extra fabric in there relative to the chest.

thanks

 

[americanninja]

Ya can't leave us all hanging. How did it go? How does the shirt fit? Can you post a photo?